During the summer months a 3-knot current may be expected in the main river, so a speed of more than 12 knots ought to be guaranteed, and the launches should not be detached for military operations, which are nearly always in progress at one place or another. Owing to the absence of any form of village police in wilder Kwang Tung, these cruisers should be officered by the Imperial Maritime Customs.
2. The distances mentioned—Fong Chuen to Shan King and Shau King to Chu Tau Shan (Admiralty charts)—cover only 145 miles of river. I cannot understand why the vast delta waterways are ignored. Chu Tau Shan is 10 miles north of Kong Mun, a city of tremendous launch traffic.
3. Nineteen launches will not be able to patrol their respective sections twice a day—if all the waterways are policed.
4. All the "guard boats" sailing gun-boats" have, with a few exceptions, been recently removed from the West River. Many are broken up and a few are hauled up on the bank at Shiu Hing. There will therefore be no troops ashore to give assistance, except at a garrison town like Wachau or Shau King. The new launches recently built and most of the old ones carry no more than eight, or at the most ten, fighting men.
5. This list, if it is compiled, would have to be an enormous one. The launches embark passengers nearly every half-a-mile.
It is an excellent suggestion that special sampans be registered to embark passengers, but no safeguard against pirates embarking. There are always recognized sampans for embarking passengers, which generally fly a special flag. These sampans have been used by pirates before (vide "Wing Fat" piracy case, July 1906).
6. This is not feasible in tidal waters.
7. All the launch routes are well known, and no uncertainty exists.
Every passenger launch or junk exhibits a board showing her principal ports of call.
The only deviation (from usual routes) is not due to tide, but to the height of water in summer floods.
From April, in normal years, Canton to Shui Hing launches run via the Moneypenny and Fatshan Creeks until the river falls to 3 feet, when they are compelled to follow the main route, viâ Chun Chune and Kum Chuk. This route is advertised.
8. This suggestion is good.
9. I have travelled on launches flying the British, French, and Chinese colours, and have small faith in the "guard" system.
The guard when not asleep are smoking opium, and on nearing some customs station are awakened, and then put on their military uniform.
When the "Wing Fat" was pirated last year near Ping Nam, the guard were sitting aft eating their food when the pirates arrived on board in the guise of passengers. Two soldiers came forward to search them and were promptly shot and thrown overboard. The rest of the guard surrendered, as their rifles were stowed forward and could not be reached in time.
Why should the owner of the launch have to pay for his own guard?
10. I conclude that the three Government examination stations are to be quite close to Canton, the words East, West, and North Rivers not being used in the same sense as we employ, as the North River enters the West River at Samshui, and the East River enters the Canton River south of Whampoa, I think the number of examination stations might be extended to include Samshui, Shiu Hing, Kum Chuk, and Kong Mun, important shipping centres, otherwise the inspection scheme will be one-sided only—the Canton side.
They ought to be controlled by the Imperial Maritime Customs.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Minutes of an Interview on board His Majesty's ship "Alacrity," at Canton, November 20, 1907.
Present:
Admiral Sir A. W. Moore, K.C.M.G., &c. Mr. R. W. Mansfield, C.M.G., His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General, Canton.
Secretary C. H. Rowe, R.N.
Mr. H. Sly, Vice-Consul.
Viceroy Chang Jen Chun. Taotai Ousu Han. Taotai Wen Tsung Yao.
THE Commander-in-chief, Sir A. W. Moore, having paid an official visit to the Viceroy on the 19th November, his Excellency the Viceroy returned the call on the following day on board His Majesty's ship "Alacrity."
After partaking of refreshments and exchanging the usual courtesies, by prearrangement the above-mentioned withdrew to the after-cabin to discuss the piracy question.
The Admiral informed the Viceroy that his principal object in requesting the conference was to discuss the proposed measures for the prevention of piracy in the vicinity of Canton, more especially in regard to the provision of the four fast launches to be placed under Customs control. He referred to the length of time this question had been under discussion, how that Viceroy Chow Fu had so far back as last March informed him that the launches would be provided, and how the Central Government at Peking had given their undertaking to the British Minister that the scheme would be put into effect. He had recently visited the Wai-wu Pu, and his Excellency Yuan Shih K'ai had assured him that instructions had been given to the Canton Government to do all in their power to suppress piracy, and had stated that the Viceroy could, if he would, stamp it out. Notwithstanding this, the launches had not been provided, and since his visit to Peking no less than three further robberies of vessels under the British flag had taken place. He felt that the time had now come when further talk was useless, and that definite action must be taken. He had been called upon by the Admiralty to report what measures he could take to insure the protection of British interests, and before giving his reply he wished to have a decision from the Viceroy as to whether he would or would not carry out the undertaking which had been entered into by the Chinese authorities to provide the four fast launches under Customs control.
The Viceroy, in reply, said that he was quite with the Admiral in desiring to stamp out piracy, he had already drawn up a scheme, which he was prepared to carry out, which included the provision of four fast launches, the systematic patrol of the waterways by the older patrol launches, and the co-operation of the military on shore with those vessels, so that the pirates might be followed up to their haunts when they escaped.
The Admiral pointed out that this scheme only provided for the patrol of about one-third of the waterways used by the launches, and that, as the guard-boats had been withdrawn, no soldiers were available to co-operate with the patrol vessels.
To this the Viceroy replied that his scheme was of course only in embryo, and that as it developed he hoped to arrange for the patrol of all the waterways. He added that the guard-boats which had been withdrawn would be replaced.
The Admiral asked whether he was to understand that the four fast launches referred to would be under the Customs control. The Viceroy said that he had recently received a telegram from Peking saying that the stipulation as to the launches being placed under foreign officers had been withdrawn by the British Minister; further, that he had been informed by the Commissioner of Customs at Canton that to place the vessel under Customs control would be fraught with much difficulty, and that the scheme was more or less impracticable. He also remarked that he, as Viceroy, was responsible for the policing of the province, and that it had nothing whatever to do with the Customs.
The Admiral replied that Peking must be under a misapprehension as to the withdrawal of the stipulation. He went on to say that, although there might be difficulties, they could, he felt sure, be overcome. He could not understand the Viceroy's attitude in the matter, or what were his objections. The boats would be manned by Chinese,